Alchemy street food festival (South Bank)

I seem to have developed quite the taste for outdoor food markets, so on Sunday with the sun shining through and some time to spare we decided to go for a wander along South Bank and check out the Alchemy Indian street food market:

Alchemy Indian street food market - chicken wraps

 Alchemy Indian street food market - a selection of kebabs

 Alchemy Indian street food market - light snacks and spiced wraps

 Alchemy Indian street food market - chicken kebabs

 Alchemy Indian street food market - fresh juices

 Alchemy Indian street food market - chocolate truffles

With everything from light snacks to currys and kebabs, we were spoilt for choice and spent a good 15 minutes wandering around all the stalls just deciding which dish to have. In the end we settled for a paneer cheese curry and juicy chicken wrap. I'm not usually one to go for the vegetarian option but in this case they'd got the spicing just right and although it could have done with a lot more paneer (there were only 3 pieces) it was absolutely delicious and a good alternative to the usual meat curry. The wrap on the other hand was juicy, meaty and delicious with the yogurt and chilli sauce.

There was plenty of choice for dessert and drinks too, and I loved browsing the chocolate stall with their endless Indian spiced truffles. Sadly the Alchemy street food festival has now finished, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the South Bank website as they often do events throughout the year. Plus it's always nice to go for a wander along the river, especially now that the weather's getting warmer.

Have you ever been to South Bank? What did you get up to this Bank holiday weekend?

Sponsored video - Nivea powder touch deodorant

Feminine but strong, playful yet mature and imperfect yet beautiful, never let it be said that us girls aren't full of contradictions, a concept which Nivea have focused on in the film for their new Powder touch deodorant:

Nivea powder touch deodorant

Watching the video (shown above), I'm impressed that Nivea have managed to promote the product without making it the main focus of the film. It unfolds almost like a story and as a consumer it is so much more interesting and captivating to watch.

A ballerina wouldn't be the first person to come to mind for a deodorant advert, but actually thinking about it, they're the perfect choice really. After all, what with having to dance all day and having their under arms constantly on show, they would be demanding more than the rest of us from a deodorant. And let's be honest, who wouldn't want the grace, femininity and physical fitness of a ballerina!

With warmer weather coming up, it's never been more important to wear a good deodorant (especially if like myself you live in London and have to commute during rush hour). The new quick dry Nivea powder touch range contains Kaolin, a clay mineral known for it's absorbent properties and with claims of forty eight hour dryness, softness of the skin and a light citrus floral scent, it could certainly be a contender for this summer.

To follow the ballerina's story or to find out more about the range, click here. 

Have you tried the new range of Nivea powder touch deodorants? What are your top tips for keeping cool this summer? 

*Post sponsored by Nivea

Glossybox May 2014 - 50 years of Superdrug

A rather special collaboration for Glossybox this month. High street retailer Superdrug turns 50 this year and to celebrate they've teamed up with Glossybox to put together a little selection of their summer must haves:

Glossybox May 2014 - 50 years of Superdrug*

Glossybox May 2014

 Glossybox May 2014

As with all collaborations there's a limited edition design and mini glossy magazine, but this month it's the 5 full sized products which are the real stars of the show. Inside you'll find Maxfactor facefinity primer, Rimmel scandal eyes mascara, Schwarzkopf crystal shine conditioner, B sheer conditioning lipstick and Scholl velvet smooth night mask.

Although it lacks a bright lip gloss or nail polish for that instant wow factor, there's no denying this month's Glossybox is seriously good value. I feel that all 5 full sized products are well suited for most people and with a black mascara and sheer rosy pink lipstick you really can't go wrong. I'm excited to try the new Maxfactor primer too. It's one of the key ingredient in their All day flawless foundation and judging by online reviews it's meant to be one of the best for minimising shine and keeping make up in place.

To complete the box there are also mini samples of Ghost eclipse perfume (a beautiful fruity floral scent) and Garnier oil beauty lotion, both of which are relatively new launches and products that I've been wanting to try anyway. A nice little addition and overall a great selection of products from Glossybox and Superdrug. I can't wait to see what they've got planned for next month now!

For more information or to sign up for your own box click here.
 
Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What do you think about this month's collaboration with Superdrug?

Currently loving...Bomb cosmetics and Carmex lip balm

2014 seems to be the year for matte lip products and whilst I love the finished look, it does have the tendancy to accentuate every little dry patch of skin. Which is why for the last few weeks I've been giving my lips some extra care and attention with these lovely new lipbalms:

Currently loving...Bomb cosmetics and Carmex lip balms

 Bomb cosmetics what a melon lip treatment and Juicy pineapple lip balm

Carmex jasmine green tea lip balm

Bomb cosmetics may be best known for their bath time treats, but actually their fruity lip balms are rather good too. The Juicy pineapple one in particular smells so fresh and tropical and with ingredients such as coconut oil, lanolin, sweet almond oil and vitamin E it's nice and moisturising on the lips too. Considering they're only £2.49 each they're surprisingly long lasting on the lips and is one of the few high street balms where I don't feel the need to constantly reapply throughout the day. The only downside is that the little pots aren't the most travel friendly, so I tend to keep these on my desk and have another lip balm for my handbag.

To this day Carmex cherry remains one of my favourite lip balms, but for SS14 there's a new Jasmine green tea scent. Being a big tea drinker, I was intrigued about what the new lip balm would smell like and I'm pleased to say it doesn't disappoint. There's a slight hint of leafy almost bitter green tea which is nicely balanced out by the sweetness of floral jasmine. Dry lipped fans will be glad to hear it's still the same nourishing formula that we know and love, and there's spf15 for sun protection too. Plus the squeezy tube means it's nice and hygienic for on the go applications.

Have you tried either of these 2 lip balms? What are your favourite products for keeping lips soft and moisturised?

April empties

Another month gone by, another set of empties to post about. In April I managed to get through 9 products and once again it was all about the daily essentials, with haircare and moisturisers featuring quite heavily in this month's empties:

April empties
Organic surge citrus mint shower gel
Bath and body works sweet pea body lotion
Elemis skin nourishing hand and body lotion
Soap and glory puffy eye attack
Organic surge 2 minute moisture mask 
Tresemme platinum strength 60 second treatment shot
Batiste dry shampoo
Organic surge blissful daily moisturiser
L'oreal skin perfection day moisturiser

This month in particular I was impressed with Organic surge 2 minute moisture mask and Tresemme platinum strength 60 second treatment shot - 2 deep conditioners which I'd highly recommend for long damaged hair. I really liked how light and quick absorbing the Bath and body works body lotion was too and I would love to try some of their other fragrances next time I'm in the States. 

I seem to have a bottle of Batiste dry shampoo in every empties post, but to date their brunette version is still my favourite one. I've since also discovered a new favourite moisturiser and eye cream (FYI Clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion+ and Balance me wonder eye cream) so probably wouldn't repurchase those either, but I did enjoy using them at the time and for such barginous prices they certainly did the job well.

How did you get on this month? Which products would you repurchase?

Bourjois magic nail polish remover for hands and feet (plus 2 new launches)

Back in 2012 when Bourjois launched their original magic nail polish remover it made quite the stir, however the one downside was that was that you couldn't use it on your toes. Well it seems Bourjois have listened to our feedback because 2 years later (and just in time for sandal season) there's now a new version which is designed for both hands and feet:

 Bourjois magic nail varnish polish for hands and feet

 Bourjois nails Spring/Summer 2014

I must admit when I first heard rumours of the new Bourjois magic nail polish remover for hands and feet I did wonder if they'd just make a bigger version for us to dip our toes in. Well luckily they've been a bit more clever and the new pot comes with a sponge attached to the lid which you can simply swipe across instead. Much like the original, the formula soaked sponge makes nail varnish removal quick and easy, it's enriched with sweet almond oil and there's the same red fruit and vanilla fragrance.

Along side the new magic nail varnish remover, there are also 2 other launches, a milky lavender Nail polish in Peace and Mauve as well as a rather ingenious Instant dry nail drops. I'm forever smudging my nails so this has been somewhat of a lifesaver. A drop or two in between each layer just helps to speed up the process without affecting longevity or shine. A must have if like myself you hate hanging around waiting for nail polish to dry.

Were you a fan of the original Bourjois magic nail varnish remover? Will you be giving the new launches a try?